Life As We Knew It: Before the Games
by ellisss3377
Summary: Ever wondered what life for the Hunger Games characters was before the 74th games? Here you'll see Katniss's, Gale's, Peeta's, and maybe Madge's life before that games. (P.S. I'm sticking to the story. No pre-Katniss/Gale, Katniss/Peeta or Gale/Madge stuff.)
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own the hunger games.**

 **Gale POV**

I spy with my little eye... a smallish 11 year old girl looking at one of my snares. Who the _hell_ does she think she is, checking out my snares, which now contain my family's dinner for tonight? _Better make a move before she steals the rabbit._ I move quietly away from my hiding place and try my best to sound hostile. I don't want to lug her around too.

"That's dangerous." The girl jumps back with a startled look, then scowls a little. Then, a wave of recognition hits her. _Yes, I know you too. Your father died in the same mine accident as mine. And we're both hunting illegally to support our families. It's so funny how alike we are, huh? We even look like brother and sister._ "What's your name?" _Maybe she can help me get more food. You never know._

"Kat..." I can barely hear her! So, I make up my own name.

"Well, Catnip, stealing's punishable by death, or hadn't you heard?"

"Katniss," she says a little louder. "And I wasn't stealing it. I just wanted to look at your snare. Mine never catch anything."

I scowl at her. _What? So those other snares that I always trip over are supposed to be catching my family's food? Good thing they never do. So where did she get that squirrel if her snares never catch anything?_ "So where'd you get the squirrel?"

"I shot it." she says, pulling a bow-a bow!-off her shoulder. How did I never notice it?

"Can I see that?" I ask eagerly. I hope not _too_ eagerly. Or maybe she'll think I want to steal it from her.

She hands it over to me. "Just remember, stealing's punishable by death." that brings out a smile from me. I almost never smile, and if I do, only my family can get it out of me. _I have a feeling we're going to be good friends._

 **So, do you like my new fic? I'm thinking of doing Katniss' and Gale's life before the games. And I'm sticking to the book, so no Katniss/Gale business. Though, I will show Gale's jealousy. I'm going to alternate through the chapters, one chapter Gale's POV, another Katniss's POV. Maybe even occasionally Peeta's, Prim's or Madge's POV. Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger games.** ( **I fast-forwarded by a few months in which Katniss is friends with Gale, since it would get boring if I didn't)**

 **Katniss POV**

It's Saturday. Special hunting day. Today, Gale and I will hunt from sunrise to sunset. We will share our spoils, and go to the Hob and see what's new. But mostly, I'm exited to see what I'll learn from Gale today. Since last month, we've been swapping skills with each other, since it's impossible to hunt without running into each other or almost killing the same animal. So, I've been teaching Gale how to hunt with a bow, and he's been teaching me how to make snares and how to fish. I'm thinking of giving him one of my precious bows today. If he passes the test.

...

"Hey Catnip." he says so suddenly I jump up from the rock I was sitting on with my bow up, posed ready to shoot.

"Don't _do_ that!" I shout, lowering my guard.

"What? Practice walking silently so that I don't end up sounding like you and scaring my prey away?" he asks indifferently. I blush scarlet.

"I do _not_ walk that loud!" I protest.

"Sure you don't. Do you want to practice fishing today?" he asks me.

"No. First, I want to show you a place." he raises his eyebrows to this. _What for?_ his eyes ask me. _Just because_ my eyes reply. I lead him to the strawberry patch and ask: "What should we do about this?"

"Umm..." his eyebrows furrow as his brain searches for the answer. "To keep the strawberries right where we want them to, we will require a net. Maybe one of my fishing nets, but they will be too heavy. We need to weave one out of the snare material. It'll be costly, but it'll be worth it." he finally answers. He passed the test.

I beam. "Okay. Now, I have to take you somewhere else." I lead him to the old oak which holds Gale's new bow. As I pull out the bow, I say:"Happy birthday".

"How'd you guess?" he asks me. Then his eyes widen when he sees his present. "You're giving me a bow? No way!"

"Yes way. I decided I trust you enough to give over one of my father's bows. And I really didn't know that today was your birthday. Huh." I babble. Gale isn't paying attention. His eyes are focused on the bow. When I hand it to him, he cradles it.

 _I made the right decision._


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own the hunger games**

 **Peeta POV**

 _Just because it's the first day of 7th grade, Peeta, doesn't mean everything's the kids have changed, and maybe you have too. Just go up there and talk to her!_ I prep myself. But, no. I chicken out and go join my friends instead. _Why can't I just go up and talk to her?_ I peek back at Katniss, and see she's talking to Gale.

 _Gale._ Bleh.

He's Katniss's " _friend"_ , and she is always by him before school. Then, after school, both of them disappear into the woods. What do they do there? Probably make out. But, he's also 2 years older than us, and it's highly unlikely that he is interested in Katniss, but what so they do in the woods?

"Hello, earth to Peeta!" my friend Jason Boyce says. He looks fairly annoyed. "Have you been listening to me the last two minutes?"

"Umm... no?" I say, cringing. "Sorry."

"Apology accepted. Now, where was I? Oh! Right. Are you going to sign up for wrestling or not?"

"Why should I?"

"You can finally beat your brothers in something, and you can protect yourself from your mother." Apart from my brothers, he understands and knows about what my mother does to her children.

"Good point. Sure. Where do I sign up?" I ask.

"The signup sheet is right in front of the gym. And, we better get going. Class is about to start." He mentions. He's right. All the other kids are beginning to beeline into the school, and if we don't hurry, Mr. Shawnee will give us detention.

I steal a last glance at Katniss an follow Jason into the school.

 **So, did you like my Peeta POV? I'm not really good at this "loved her for the last 9 years, and was jealous of Gale the whole time" thing. Mostly because I'm not a boy, but also, I'm not very good with words. Also, the next fic might be about Madge...**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I sadly do not own the Hunger Games**

 **Madge POV**

 _Hey. That girl looks awfully thin. Is she trying to starve herself to look like one of the capitol people? Don't her mother and Daddy give her enough food?_

Those were my first and awfully naive thoughts about Katniss Everdeen. I asked Delly Cartwright for information about her. I knew that she wasn't the gossip type, and she still isn't, but I knew back then that she still has the information.

 _Hey Delly! Why is that girl over there so thin?_

 _Oh, Katniss Everdeen? Her Dad died in that mine accident five weeks ago. I guess her money from the Capitol ran out and her Mommy still hasn't found a job yet. You know how hard it is to find a good job here in 12._

I couldn't and still can't imagine living without my daddy and only with my mother who can't even fend for herself. She's immobilized in bed, due to these headaches. I think it's because of trauma from losing her twin sister, my aunt Maysilee. She won't say.

So, ever since, I've been trying to become friends with her. The problem is, she never talks. Back then when I was 11, I thought it was impossible to become friends with someone who won't even say a word. But, I never stopped trying, and eventually Katniss and I grew together. We don't talk often, but we have this connection in which we don't have to talk. Though, sometimes we strike up small talk when she comes every Saturday to trade strawberries. My Daddy is very fond of strawberries. Anyway, if the teacher tells the class to pair up, Katniss and I are always together.

Now we've been sort of friends for four years. We're both fifteen, and I noticed a week ago that some boys have been looking at Katniss. Not that I mind. But, if she barely talks to me, how will she ever talk to the boys? The only boy I've seen her talk to is Gale Hawthorn, and he's her best friend. They're hunting partners, and he's two years older than us. Every day after school, they go out to the woods to hunt- I think. I don't know if they really hunt, or if they're together in secret. I've never asked Katniss, and I don't plan to. It's not my business. But for now, I'll stay by Katniss's side.

 **Do you like my Madge POV? I've never thought much about her, and she's very hard to write, since she isn't mentioned much in the books. This is just really Madge thinking, nothing else. Next time, I'll write an actual scene. This is only an intro. Thank you for reading!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games**

 **Gale POV**

Today's reaping day. For the 72nd Hunger Games, to be exact. As usual, we have until two to get up and running for the reaping. But, as always, my family is up at six.

"Gale, what if they reap you?" my little brother asks me. His seam grey eyes look up to me, filled with worry.

"No worries, Ror. I won't get reaped. I'm only sixteen!" _and you're only 10._

"Yeah, but you still have a lot of slips in there." Rory says. All I can do is sigh and tousle his hair. _At least_ you _aren't getting reaped._ Suddenly, the thought of Katniss getting reaped floods my head. Catnip. Really, she's my first friend that isn't family. _No, Gale. She won't get reaped. You know that you have a bigger chance of getting reaped, anyway, so stop worrying she'll get reaped., and worry about yourself. And your family._ Really, I don't need to care about my family as much if I get reaped, since Katniss and I recently made this tract that if one of us gets reaped, the other provides both families. But, I think she failed to consider if both of us get reaped. If it's like that, then we have _really_ bad odds. Which is obvious. Why am I rambling?

"Gale?" Vick asks. Vick must of wandered into the bedroom to see Ror and me on my side of the bed.

"Yeah?"

"What are the odds that you will get reaped today?" Vick just _loves_ statistics.

"As much as yours are" I try to not make Vick all hyped up and scared. If he does, his asthma might show up. Us living in district 12 where there is tons of coal dust just flying around in the air really doesn't help. Anyway, I don't want to lose another family member. I already lost dad. "Come on. We need to get dressed and fed for the reaping."

"But it isn't until one!" Vick pouts.

I smile and reply: "Time flies by really quickly on days like today."

And I'm right. In no time, it's 1:30. My family is all prepared and worked up about the big event. They could lose their main provider and head of the family today. _But they won't._ The food that Katniss and I hunted and gathered the day before is sitting on the tiny coffee table in the living room, waiting for us. Practically luring us in. It look way better than what we had for lunch. Should be, too. It's for us to celebrate on me not being reaped today. If I don't. _Stop thinking about bad things! You'r not going to get reaped!_ a tiny voice from the back of my head screams. I try to shake it off mentally and physically.

"Can we go now?" I ask my mom.

"Sure. Better early than late." she replies. And in no time, I'm standing in the section for all the sixteen year olds, waiting for everybody else to file in. Ten minutes later, the mayor climbs up the stage with Haymitch and that obnoxious lady, who I think her name is _Effie Trinket_. This year, she's wearing a long, maroon wig with patterns dyed into the sides, and bangs so long, I bet she can't see a thing. She has bright, neon orange lipstick on, and a rather revealing bright orange dress. She's wearing 7 inch bright orange stiletto heels. _Disgusting._

The mayor goes to the stage, and begins to drone on about the usual: the history of Panem, the reason why we have the hunger games, blah blah blah. _I really don't care!_ I want to scream out. Every cell in my body yearns to, but I keep still. Then, _finally_ , Effie steps up to the microphone and trills out "Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be _ever_ in your favor!" Then, she begins to go on about how _wonderful_ it is to be here, and how _homered_ she is, when all of us know she just wants to get signed up to a better district, maybe district one or two. Poor Effie.

Then, it's time for the drawing. "Ladies first!" After a minute of unbreaking tension, she finally picks a name. "Patience Hill!"

The unlucky seam girl climbs up to the stage, tears already streaming down her face. She's only thirteen.

"Time for the boys!"

'Carson Wood' gets called up. He's an eighteen year old, and also from the Seam. _Good luck, Carson._ He was a week away from being married at age 19. Guess the odds weren't in his favor.

But mine are.

 **Wow. This was a sort-of long chapter. For me. Anyway, happy valentine's day! Even though it's tomorrow. Hope you liked the chapter!**


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